There are certain standard pieces of advice that you’re given in photography. “f/8 and forget it!” is one. That just means that the f-stop 8 is the common aperture to have everything focused in your shot. Another one is that your first lens should be a Nifty 50.

50mm is considered to be the Jack of All Trades among lenses. It can be used as a portrait lens, a landscape lens and everything in between. Manufacturers also usually offer a 50mm f/1.8 lens at a seriously cheap cost. Often less than $200, which is a steal. So given the versatility and cost, the 50mm f/1.8 should be all you need to start off your journey into photography, right?

Maybe not. I’m not the biggest fan of the Nifty 50. Here’s why.

1. A Jack of All Trades is Master of None.

   Here’s the thing. It isn’t a great portrait lens and it isn’t much of a landscape lens either. Yes, its true that you can do all those things with the 50, but that is literally true of any lens. In a pinch, I’ll use the 50, but I would much rather a 35mm or an 85mm in most situations.

2. 50mm isn’t always 50mm.

   Yeah, so the math doesn’t add up on this little axiom, because the visual range of the 50 is entirely dependent of what kind of camera you have. Most people start with an APS-C camera, which crops the image down by a factor of roughly 1.5 (it depends on the manufacturer). Which mean your 50mm is actually closer to 75mm visually. So if you have a crop sensor camera, you are much better off getting a 35mm lens.

3. You can’t always move your feet.

   In the discussion between Zoom lenses and Prime lenses, we like to say, just move forward or backwards. Well, sometimes you can’t do that. If you’re using a 50 (especially with an APS-C camera) and you’re in a tight space, your lens may not have a wide enough angle. Every photographer has been in a situation where they were forced to press themselves up against a wall or lie on the floor to get a difficult shot.

4. It really is a cheap lens.

   If you’re paying less than $500 for glass, you may be getting a decent lens, but you aren’t getting a great one. There’s a reason why glass is so expensive. Some of my favorite photographers have been raving about the Sony 50mm f/1.2 G Master. That’s a $2000 lens. It’s a difference of $1800 for 2 stops of light. My point is, don’t expect a miracle worker at that low price.

5. Okay, you should probably get one.

   Alright, yeah. I’m cheating here. But I have to concede that 50mm is okay. It isn’t a bad starter lens; it just isn’t a great one. If your budget is very tight, that cheap 50 will be great to learn on. However, if you don’t see yourself able to buy another lens for a long time, I would recommend maybe looking at a slightly cheaper camera, so that you can buy a 24-70mm f/2.8. You’ll get a lot more versatility out of that zoom.

When I got my Sony a7iii, I bought a Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 and the Sigma Art 85mm f/1.4. Later I picked up the 50mm f/1.8 as a “walking around lens” for my Sony a6400. And what were the results? Well, see for yourself…

I’m not against getting a 50mm. I just don’t think its the catch-all lens that the old guard photographers regard it as.